Any advice in the red eye/tail?

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:09 pm

I recently ordered a SCP...now i've also found out that they are out of the market in the U.S i guess....So i can't just give up the puffers that easily..they are too cute! Now i'm looking at a little FW red eyed/tail puffer. They seem quite easy to aquire and take care of. So does anyone have any input on if i could, if so, tell me if it's a good idea and if anyone could tell me any helpful information about it, that would be fantastic.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:52 pm

Depends on the species. It could either be a t. irrubesco or a t. lorteti. Both species are pretty nasty to tank mates but on occasions if your lucky and when you feed them enough they leave other fish alone. Irrubescos are the more gentle species with the lortetis being tank devils. If you are looking at either species in anything less then 30 gallons look to keep them alone or at max of a trio (1m:2f.) And since it seems you have never kept them before do not look into adding any tank mates. Also look at those species I mentioned on the puffer list: http://pufferlist.com/

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Mon May 22, 2006 6:59 pm

Yes, in fact I do know about the two different kinds. The irrubesco seems better. Also, the puffer seems good because it doesn't take dozens of snails a week to trim it's teeth to size (which was a following concern).

I seem inexperience (and i am) so anyone with previous ownership is a great deal of help. Also, the puffer is cute and quite good looking for a good sized FW species for my 25g. The snails breeding in my 10g. I hope it'll all work out. Anyway, are they affordable as well as cool? I'd appreciate the information

.

Post by **Myaj** » Mon May 22, 2006 8:20 pm

The few times I've seen them they were not too expensive. Less than $10 I think. But they show up very, very rarely. I now wish I had grabbed up the few I've seen over the years, they are gorgeous fish.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Mon May 22, 2006 8:40 pm

That's precisely why I'm interested in them. they are cool

. Perhaps i could simply order it from my LFS... They are not too reliable but i could try. However, i still have to get a 25g tank for a male and female (my anticipated pair) and cycle it. I have all of the equipment i think...unless they need sand, because i only have gravel... Then i need to keep up the snail breeding so the puffer will have to wait.

. Anyway, once i get it I'll post pics...can't wait

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Mon May 22, 2006 9:24 pm

They do not require sand. Gravel will be just fine. Ordering red eyes from a LFS can be hit or miss. Most LFS wholesalers lists will only have 't. lorteti' as the name and when they order it for you there will either be between 40-80 lorteti's for the LFS to put up with killing their stock, or 40-80 irrubescos terrorising their stock. So ordering can be hit and miss.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Mon May 22, 2006 9:34 pm

Ok...so is there any way to determine the irribescus type from the other? Because i know of the difference in temperment.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Mon May 22, 2006 9:38 pm

Look at the photos in the gallery aswell as on TPL you will notice minor differences. Male irrubs have a red tail lorteti's seem to be more of a black tail. Females colors are different with a little difference in patterns.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Mon May 22, 2006 10:01 pm

oh yes! i do notice both differences! When i do order them (unless by chance they have them in stock when i arrive) i would make sure to check the differences to see if what they are trying to sell me are accurate and in fact the irrubesco. If you have any more tips, please let me know...EX: feeding schedules, tank mates etc.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Mon May 22, 2006 10:12 pm

When ordering fish 99% of the time the order list do not include pictures. So I'd not request ordering puffs unless its a reputable LFS or they can order them in less then 20 puffs. Not only will it be easier for you to get, the LFS will more or less consider ordering them because its an aggressive fish they can try to manage since they will order in small numbers.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:12 pm

OK..well if you breed snails In a 10g tank, will they breed fast enough to support two RTREP's? I plan to feed two whole meals of snails to each once or twice every week... is this a good plan if the snails breed enough? I'm going to start the snails breeding this Thursday or weekend while the other tank cycles for the puffers *(takes about a month for cycling but i may not introduce the puffers for another one or two).....

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:17 pm

For red-eyes you do not need to feed snails as regularly. I feed mine snails once or twice a month. Snails reproduce fast but don't seem to grow to a substantial size in a few weeks. I would look into regularly feeding blackworms, ghost shrimp, and mysis shrimp. Also maybe the occasional meal of blood worms.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:24 pm

I've actually heard alot about black worms but they seem too difficult to get because i don't know where to get them! Also, they seem messy, but if there was a way to breed them that would be cool, for I have a small single gallon tank (if that's what they need) that I could keep them in. Tell me all you know please because your new information about the snails is a relief.

Tihsho · Post by **Tihsho** » Tue May 23, 2006 6:51 pm

Blackworms just need a tupperware filled with water thats able to cover the blackworms. All you need to do is put the tupper ware in the fridge and rinse the worms everyday.

Adventim · Post by **Adventim** » Tue May 23, 2006 7:00 pm

Oh that sounds so easy! Wow, i should have looked more into that. I'll try to get some from my LFS if I can..How much of that should I feed each puffer?

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Any advice in the red eye/tail?

Any advice in the red eye/tail?

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